Carotid surgery in the community hospital: 467 consecutive operations.

Over a 12-year period, 467 consecutive operations for carotid disease were performed on 424 patients in community hospitals. Of all the patients, 0.2% died within 30 days of surgery and 3% had a stroke within 30 days. One third of these strokes were disabling. No cerebral monitoring equipment was used and an indwelling carotid shunt was only rarely used.